ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Goombay Festival, an annual celebration of Black culture through music, storytelling, art, food, film and more, returns this weekend to downtown Asheville after last year’s event was cancelled by Hurricane Helene.

Going to Goombay? Here’s what to expect

Goombay Festival 2025 will be held Thursday, Sept. 4 to Saturday, Sept. 7 in Pack Square Park and the YMI Cultural Center, located at 39 S. Market St.

The festival is free, family-friendly and packed full of events, from a film festival and fashion show to over a dozen musical performances.

Festivities will kick off with a ticketed Goombay Jazz Cabaret from 7 to 9 p.m., Sept. 4 at YMI, but the official opening ceremony for Goombay 2025 will be at 5 p.m. the next evening in Pack Square Park. Performance artist Dasan Ahanu and his Eloquent Soul band will head up the ceremony with their signature combination of live music and spoken word poetry.

Goombay will return bright and early at 9 a.m. on Saturday, beginning with Ujima Health & Wellness classes and followed soon after by Black youth performances. Later that afternoon, the Goombay Film Festival, In the Clouds Mini Fashion Show and an African-American Genealogy Lecture will take place, in addition to performances by artists like Hennessey, Big Bo and Bungalow Collect.

At 10 a.m. on Sunday, the Goombay Closing Ceremony will precede a day of music, culminating with Song Band leading a festival send-off from 3 to 5 p.m. on the Pack Square Park stage.

Find the full schedule of events at www.ymiculturalcenter.org/goombay.